Discarded Masks
by SoulShdw
Summary: While musing on her life, Anko runs into an unexpected confidant in the form of a demon carrier and a bottle of whiskey or two. One shot - Crappy description.


This was just something that had been bouncing around in my head for a while. Probably sprang from the fact that there really aren't alot of decent Anko fics. Her character intrigues me, but since she only has a minor role in the Naruto storyline she gets passed over. Some assumptions were made in writing this story, and quite frankly Anko might be out of character but since she barely has any role anyway, its kinda hard to determine that.

Oh well. Here's a one shot and a challenge, someone write a good Anko story. I feel I couldn't do it, so someone with more ability do it.

_

* * *

What the hell am I doing here again?_ Mitarashi Anko found herself thinking as she watched the bride and groom begin the first dance, following closely by the bridesmaids and the groomsmen as the small group joined hands and began dancing to the soft sounds of a string quartet. She was watching from the table she had been assigned to sit at during the reception, watching the proceedings with a detached feeling. She barely knew either the bride or the groom, but at this point it seems that it was unimportant as most of Konoha had been invited to the grandiose ceremony. 

She was actually surprised at the turnout for the wedding. She wasn't even aware that Konoha had this many people, let alone friends of the bride and groom. _Well, they're mostly hers I suppose. Many aren't too fond off her 'beloved'._ She shivered at that thought when the vision of the red-haired youth danced through her mind. Even when the young man was only a teenager, he gave Anko the willies, something that was impressive within itself, considering she had spent most of her childhood being taught by one of the most ruthless shinobi to ever live. How he became the Kazekage was still a mystery to her, considering the rumors she had heard about his insanity.

She looked around and found herself smirking as she saw many faces she recognized, most of which had dressed for the occasion. She smirked at the sight of Maito Gai in a formal suit. A white silken shirt underneath and a formal black jacket that he wore over the silken shirt. She half expected him to rip it off sometime during the reception, ranting something about the glory of youth or something. _Perhaps after he's had a few more drinks. Just need to make sure his 'evil twin' doesn't get any sake in him. I am really not in the mood to deal with that nut tonight._ She smirked as her glance danced from Gai to his favored pupil who looked almost identical to the older man.

She herself was wearing a dark purple silk dress, the emblem of a double-headed snake running up the leg of the dress until it reached her chest and curled into a sinuous pattern. She had pulled her hair up into a small bun and it was currently being held in place by a pair of black hair pins. Her left leg was revealed slightly as she sat at her table and watched the bridal party enjoying themselves, painting a sultry picture to any male who happened to glance in her direction.

She absolutely loathed dressing up. It had always felt strange to her, and it was something that she felt uncomfortable with. If it hadn't been for the insistence of the bride, Anko would not have come. _I still don't understand why that girl wanted me her. Haruno and I are barely even acquaintances..._ She shot a glance towards the bride and found herself once again wondering how the hell the pink haired medical nin and the red haired Kazekage had gotten together. It just seemed like a match from some horrible romance novel. Sakura was currently dancing with her husband, a white kimono covering her as she danced with him. Her pink hair fell freely and she had a content smile on her face as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder.

Anko wouldn't be surprised to find out that her disbelief of the current couple was duplicated all the way to the Hidden Village of Sand. The courtship had been in utter secret, save to only one. Not even the girl's mentor Tsunade had known of the affair, nor had her sensei, the copy ninja Kakashi. It seemed totally unreal that after several years, the two announced their marriage, shocking the world of the Hidden Leaf. It seemed that most of their contact had been done through letter correspondence in which Sakura would send messenger slugs to the red haired youth. The fox-boy, Uzumaki Naruto, had been the only person to know of the affair.

It seemed that it began when the Akatsuki had tried to abduct the Kazekage for some unknown purpose about four years ago. Sakura and Naruto had been part of the team to assist the Hidden Sand and they had succeeded, but only barely. If not for the back up of Gai's Team and several powerful Ninja teams from the Village of Sand, led by Gaara's sister, the mission would have failed and most likely the Akatsuki would have taken the blond haired Kyubi vessel as well for whatever purpose they had.

Anko mused to herself that since Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice, the apprentice of the Hokage of the Leaf, Sand's biggest and really their only ally, Sakura had been sent on diplomatic missions to the Sand. It was during this time that the two must have developed to this point. _Good for them I guess, lucky bastards..._

Anko frowned at that thought before reaching for the plum wine at her table and taking a small sip as she absently watched the bridal party slowing their dance as the song came to an end. It was only then, after thinking about how this coupling came to be, that she realized something. She took a quite glance around, as if to confirm her suspicion that the person wasn't there. _Where the hell is that idiot?_

It was confirmed a few moments later when she was done scanning the room. _Odd that he isn't here. She's his genin teammate and Gaara's practically his best friend. I was surprised when he wasn't the best man for crying out loud._ She turned her face back to the center of the room as she thought about the strange blond shinobi.

No one had expected him to come as far as he had. He had always been a misfit, a dead last and generally despised throughout Konoha. She had never really given a damn either way about the nine tails fox being a part of him. She had been an orphan after all, it wasn't like she had lost any family to the attack. Her so-called 'friends' had deserted her more or less after her sensei abandoned the village, not to mention that during that time she hadn't been in the best shape mentally. Having a curse seal placed on you and being betrayed by the only one you truly trusted did that to a person.

He had left to train with the self-proclaimed strongest of the legendary three, the Frog Hermit Jiraiya. No one expected the young man to advance as much as he did, most thinking that being around the perverted man would only add to the boy's idiocy. The two had left Konoha for several years, a promise of returning stronger given to the residents of the Leaf. Everyone had a good laugh when they thought of the two ninjas from the Leaf that seemed to bicker like children, despite their so-called teacher-student relationship.

When the boy returned three years later, he had become a force to reckon with. No one was more shocked by the boy's advancement than his own team's sensei. The boy it seemed had grown up, becoming calm and collected when necessary. He still acted the fool from time to time, but never when the situation called for it. Anko knew first hand how deadly the Uzumaki could be. She had worked with him on several missions since he had become Chunnin, and it still shocked her every time she saw the boy fight. If not for the young man's utter lack of anything that could be called strategy or tactics, he would have become Jounin or Anbu a long time ago.

She zoned back into the reception to see that many people were now standing and mingling among the masses of people that had attended the reception. Anko once again found herself feeling isolated as she watched the happy faces of people celebrating the union of two people. She fought back a sneer before reaching for the plum wine once again. She hated happy endings...

Finally she just couldn't take anymore of this. She uncrossed her legs beneath the table and stood up, pushing the chair she had been sitting in away. _Enough of this, I'm getting out of here._ She tossed a final glance towards the bride and groom before scoffing under her breath something unintelligible before turning from the room and leaving the reception hall.

It wasn't long before she found herself wandering the streets of Konoha alone. She walked quietly, something very unusual for her but then again, it was a night of unusual things happening. The dress hindered her movement slightly so she walked at a slow pace, her head hanging low. The wedding had brought up some questions that every single woman experiences when she sees such a thing, but in doing so it brought back some painful memories to the purple haired kunochi.

She closed her eyes as she continued her silent journey, her mind reeling back to when she was younger and more naive. She had never really been a prim and proper girl when she was a child, like some of the other kunochi that she knew. That happens when you grow up in the alleyways of the Konoha streets. It had only been through sheer luck that she had been allowed into the Academy, a charity on the part of the third Hokage. Nevertheless, mostly because in reality it was her only chance to become something other than the lowly street rat she was, she threw herself into her studies fully.

Despite what people may have thought of her, Anko had always been an exceptional shinobi. Her practical skills and knowledge of jutsus even as a pre-genin were astounding, causing some of the old academy teachers to consider her a prodigy. More would have seen her in that manner if she hadn't been such a trouble making prankster who loved nothing more than a good joke. Her biggest hurdle during her academy years was the boring stuff like History and other things that she just didn't consider important enough to waste time remembering and studying. _After all, what's the point of knowing who killed who, who founded what, or who created which weapon as long as you know how to use said weapon?_

She had been amazed when she had been selected to be the pupil of the legendary snake shinobi Orochimaru. She had heard the tales of the legendary three and was stunned silent when she was told by the third himself that one of his three pupils would be her personal sensei. She found it odd that she wasn't on a three man team like her fellow genin but was too overwhelmed from the prospect of being taught by the likes of Orochimaru to really care.

She shivered at the thought of the snake that had ruined her life. Even back then she knew something was odd about him. She followed his orders and teaching obediently, soaking up his knowledge of jutsus like a sponge. Over the course of the next several years she trained and did missions with him, growing stronger every day. It wasn't long before those damn teenage hormones of hers kicked in and she practically fell in love with the man. _I was an idiot back then. If only I had known..._

Anko once again kicked herself at the thought before she broke out of her reverie. It was pointless to think of such things, she often told herself. _You can't change the past; only the future is in flux._ It was what the third had said to her when she was a tender seventeen years of age, after she had been betrayed by her sensei, and who she had thought, her lover. Orochimaru had left her in her bed, giving her the curse seal before leaving. The betrayal had nearly destroyed Anko and the young woman was out of it for quite some time before she began resuming her life as a shinobi.

She found herself standing on top of the Hokage monument watching over Konoha. The wind rustled her hair slightly but she ignored it as her depressing musings over her life. She had never really recovered from his betrayal. Many in the village didn't even trust her, being the child prodigy of the treacherous snake. The fact that she still used many of the techniques he taught her probably hurt her a little in that regard but she didn't give a damn. She fought the way she wanted to, and damn the consequences.

What also occurred was a more subtle effect than she would have expected. She didn't even really notice it until one day when Kurenai asked her why she never went out. She slowly began to realize that the men of Konoha avoided her, not just because of her somewhat... unpredictable nature, but rather because she had been to bed with the treacherous snake. She didn't know how that information had gotten out but she had sworn long ago that she would kill whoever let that nugget of information out. The rumors she had heard as a result had been horrible, causing her to snap on more than one occasion and beat the living piss out of the men who had dared mention how she had been a 'plaything' for the traitor. In fact, other than the snake sennin, she had never been to bed with another man. Nor had she tried dating or anything else. It all just seemed so pointless to her and she disregarded it. A few treated her civilly, but they were few and far in between.

She frowned as she once again snapped out of her musings. _Damn Haruno, inviting me to her damn wedding and making me think about this crap..._ It was then that her senses picked up someone behind her and she calmly turned her head to see who it was. She was confident in her skills so she felt no need for alarm.

Standing behind her, a small paper bag in his hands was Uzumaki Naruto, giving her a strange glance. He was wearing the traditional Chunnin gear, although his vest had the trademark orange swirl that she had seen adorned that horrible old jumpsuit he had worn as a genin. His whisker marks had faded slightly over the years and his face had matured as well. _He kinda looks like the forth when you think about it. Odd..._

There was a long period of silence between the two before Anko spoke, turning to face the village from above again. "How long have you been there fox-boy?"

She didn't need to see him to know that he bristled at the pet name she had given him. She smirked at the thought of the frown that she was sure was on his face. "Not too long." She heard him walking towards her and arched an eyebrow before he passed her, taking a seat on the edge of the mountain, his legs hanging off the edge. He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment before patting the ground next to him, inviting the woman to take a seat next to him.

Anko shrugged before walking over and taking great care not to rip the dress while she sat down, legs hanging off the edge like his. She reached up and pulled the hair pins out of her locks and shaking her head once before tossing them off the edge, causing the blond haired nin to chuckle slightly. "What?" She asked, a small frown covering her face, her fist already poised to strike the young man for whatever inane comment he was going to give.

His only response was to shrug. "I'd hate to be the one those land on. Worse then a kunai at close range." He slowly rustled through the paper he was carrying and pulled a pair of medium sized glass bottles out. He handed one to her before tossing the bag behind him and opening his own bottle.

Anko raised an eyebrow at this and smirked. She gave a mockingly shocked face and asked in a cute voice, while batting her eyelashes at the blond haired nin. "For me? You're so sweet." Her demeanor changed once again as she chuckled at the rising blush that made its way to his face as a result of her teasing.

"Actually, no. But it sure as hell looked like you needed one of these." He said idly before taking a swig of the liquor. His face twisted slightly before he let out a sigh and stared off into the distance over Konoha, seemingly forgetting that she was even there.

Anko took a look at the bottle and realized it wasn't sake, nor any sort of alcohol she had ever seen before. She raised the bottle and tried reading the label but it was in some foreign language that she couldn't read. "What is this stuff?"

The blond smirked before replying, "Foreign stuff I was introduced to by Ero-Sennin a while back. From the continent to the East, something called 'whiskey.' Has twice the kick of sake."

This sounded too good to be true to the snake goddess and she opened hers and took a large sip. Liquid fire raced down her throat before she finished swallowing and began coughing wildly, not expecting the exceedingly harsh taste. Naruto chuckled at her misfortune before adding, "Yeah. That was my first reaction as well."

She pulled the bottle back before giving an impressed whistle before taking another, much smaller sip of it. "I can imagine." She then gave him an odd look before asking, "And you were planning to drink two bottles of this stuff yourself?"

He gave a sad smile but said nothing in response, merely taking another drink. Anko decided not to push further and likewise turned back to face the view of the Hidden Village of Leaf. The two drank in silence for a few minutes before it began to annoy Anko. "The hell are you doing here brat? Isn't your best friend getting married?"She asked, turning to the young shinobi.

He gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "Eh, most of the village is there and its an open bar. I didn't want someone who's had one too many to cause a scene because of my presence on their special day, especially Sakura's parents. They loathe me, despite all the times I've saved their daughter's life. Go figure." When he finished speaking he lost his grin and took an exceedingly long drink from his bottle.

"Very cold fox boy." Anko smirked at his bristling once again. It was one thing she had always loved to do, ever since she was a kid. Getting under people's skins was an art form when you really thought about it. It was a shame that irritating the blond chunnin didn't take much.

"They understand. I wished them well before the ceremony." He said, as if trying to defend his actions.

"I see..." Anko once again trailed off, bored with the conversation. She wasn't usually this bitter, but it just seemed like the wedding held the sole purpose of annoying her tonight and she was unusually talkative tonight. _The rest of this bottle will probably fix that problem._ Anko thought amusedly as she took another sip from the bottle.

The two sat in silence for quite some time, each reflecting on their own thoughts. Finally after a long time Naruto breaks the silence. "It's odd."

She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

He smirked, "I've never seen you without your trenchcoat before. You look good."

Anko frowned and Naruto never even saw her arm move. If he didn't know better he would have sworn she had invented some new jutsu on the fly just to hit him. It took a lot of control to not fly forward off the mountain but using some chakra he was able to keep himself in place. "Quiet brat. I'm at least ten years older than you."

He gave her an odd look before shrugging and saying, "I could call you ugly instead if you'd like." Naruto saw the irritated tick under Anko's eyebrow begin to twitch wildly and decided that all things considered, it would be best if he kept his mouth shut for the time being. So he did what every male would do when faced with an irritated and partially inebriated female, especially one that could seriously hurt him. He took another drink and closed his eyes, waiting for the incoming blow...

...That never came. Naruto shot a glance in her direction to see that she seemingly wasn't paying attention to him, and he was very grateful for that at the moment. He really didn't want to take the chance of being knocked off the cliff.

The silence once again lasted for quite some time before the purple haired kunochi sighed loudly before taking an exceedingly long drink from her bottle. Naruto raised an eyebrow and was about to whistle as if impressed when Anko randomly decided to speak again. "You know something brat. I think I hate you."

The revelation, although very strange to hear at the time, slipped out of her mouth before she really thought about what she was saying. She frowned before raising the bottle in front of her face and staring at it accusingly before shrugging and taking another incredibly long sip. She cast a disinterested look at the blond chunnin to see his reaction and raised an eyebrow when she only saw a sad smile on his face. _Doesn't look all that shocked to hear that. Strange considering I am..._ Anko thought wearily before turning back to the view over the village.

Naruto took another drink from his bottle before venturing a guess. "So who did you lose to the fox, Mitarashi-san?" He didn't even bother to look over to see her reaction. _I suppose she's probably wondering why I'm taking this so well. Eh, happens when you grow up hated I suppose..._

She scoffed at his question, as if slightly insulted. "No one brat. I was an orphan, I didn't have anyone to lose when the nine-tails nearly razed this village to the ground. That ain't the reason I hate you." She insisted before leaning back slightly and looking directly up in the sky.

There was another one of those long awkward pauses before Naruto turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "Then why? Surly my antics haven't caused you THAT much trouble..."

She once again slapped him on the back of the head as a response. He rubbed the back of his head absentmindedly before turning to face her. Anko knew he was waiting for a verbal response but she didn't really feel like explaining it. _Then again, if I leave at that I'll really look like a bitch, well more bitchy than normal... _"Ever since you came back from training with that idiot Jiraiya."

Naruto chuckled slightly at this. Anko was known for being a very cruel and sadistic women, both on the job and in her daily life. One of her well-known personal pleasures was beating the ever-loving piss out of pervert that she encountered. Some of her exploits even worried the 'almighty' Jiraiya, probably the most perverted man in Konoha. He spoke up, an amused grin on his face. "I know I'm his student but I'm not the pervert he is."

Anko blinked a few times before realizing what Naruto was talking about. She scoffed under her breath before mumbling, "Stop assuming things fox-boy. It makes you look dumber than usual." She once again chuckled at the bristling and then continued speaking. "It just irritates me that you no longer wear that damn mask of yours."

Now this caused Naruto to look at the kunochi in silent confusion. "...I don't remember ever-"

"Now in the literal sense you moron. That damn mask of childish energy and happiness that you wore growing up." She said in a flat tone. She took another drink, fully intending to finish the bottle before the current conversation ended. _Damn alcohol, making me talkative._ She finished her drink before continuing in a softer tone, as if Naruto wasn't supposed to hear it. "Your mask was so similar to mine..."

Naruto turned away at that. It was true that growing up, in his situation he did always act overly happy about anything and everything. It annoyed most of the people he knew but he was a child craving attention of any kind. He acted that way up until the point when Jiraiya took him away from Konoha to train for almost three years. During their travels, Jiraiya finally told Naruto to 'cut it out.'

"I get annoyed by people who fake their emotions to comfort themselves."

Those were the words that Jiraiya had spoken to him once during one of their dinner meals. Naruto tried to deny what Jiraiya was telling him but the man knew better and told Naruto not to take him for a fool. Finally, Naruto began to mellow out, whether it was from an increased training schedule wearing him out, or he just decided to follow through on the man's words. Much to Naruto's surprise, the old man didn't treat him any differently, so in turn he found that he didn't have to pretend anymore.

Naruto then found himself thinking about the woman sitting next to him. Sure, he had heard plenty about her involvement with the snake sennin. Of course, some things like how exactly she had been betrayed he knew nothing of. He basically just knew the general story of how she had been betrayed. He didn't trust many of the rumors that often floated around; hell in the past some of those rumors had him eating the flesh of live babies during the night.

But he began to think about her behavior, or at least the behavior that she was known for. Slightly manically, sadistic, overly loud and energetic. She loved to scare the shit out of people and do everything to get under someone's skin if it struck her fancy at the moment. He frowned slightly when thinking about it, _All that... couldn't have been faked. If it was, then she should quit being a shinobi and become an actress somewhere._

"I guess I'm just... kinda jealous that you were able to drop yours while I still wear mine." Her speech was starting to slur slightly as she polished over her bottle and set in on the ground next to her. Naruto didn't really know how to respond to that statement so in turn he only took another drink, slowly finishing off the rest of his whiskey.

Finally he set down his bottle down next to hers before turning to face her and staring at her until she started to get annoyed and turned to face him to see what the hell he wanted to say. _Probably is going to deny the whole thing, pretend that I was imagining it._ She thought, slightly bitter about how the night had been proceeding. _I really didn't need all this shit tonight. Now I really need to go find some place to get plastered..._

Naruto's voice broken her internal musings of which bar to go to in order to drink herself retarded. "So take yours off." He said it calmly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. His voice even sounded slightly child-like to her ears, sounding as if it was coming from someone who knew nothing of pain. He continued, his voice still bearing the sound of that child-like innocence, "Despite what everyone in Konoha may or may not think of you, if you don't try to show them otherwise nothing will change."

Anko scoffed under her breath before saying in a bitter tone. "You make it sound so easy you little piece of..."

Naruto's voice interrupted her incoming profanity by saying in a flat voice, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're the only one holding you back Anko-san. Orochimaru is dead, his legacy destroyed. You can't blame him anymore. Sure perhaps at one time he was the reason for how you came out, but what now?"

Anko frowned at the harsh jab but said nothing. It was true that the snake sennin was dead. For some reason, he had been unable to possess the Uchiha traitor and tried in turn to take the next best body he knew of. The container of the nine-tails; he had hoped by possessing Uzumaki Naruto that he would gain the power of the Kyubi at his disposal. He had thought wrong. After knocking the blond haired chunnin out, Orochimaru tried his body switch technique but, or at least according to what Naruto decided to tell everyone later, Kyubi was not fond of the intrusion into his host. Since success of the technique would in essence destroy Naruto's soul, which through the seal of the forth Hokage was linked in turn to Kyubi's, the fox decided that it was too dangerous to let the outsider live. Orochimaru's body died, due to the fact it was lacking its soul and mind.

Anko remained silent for a long time after this conversation. Naruto felt it better not to push any further but instead leaned back and rested on his arms behind him to stare the stars in the sky. The silence lasted for quite a long time before the blond yawned loudly and sat up. He grinned slightly before grabbing his empty whiskey bottle and tossing it off the mountain, chuckling gleefully when it cracked against the nose of the forth Hokage that was etched into the mountain.

Anko found this fairly amusing for some reason so without any hesitation she grabbed her empty bottle and tossed it likewise. A crash confirmed that it had met a similar fate to Naruto's own bottle. She laughed out loud before grinning at him and saying in a matter of fact tone, "You know, that's really disrespectful of the dead."

Naruto scoffed as he stood up, brushing himself off before stretching his arms over his head. "Heh, for the shit I've gone through due to that guy, I think can get away with breaking a liquor bottle against his mug." He then extended his hand to her to pull her up which she accepted. "Besides, I still have a long way to go before I consider the two of us even."

Anko laughed loudly at that. _Only this idiot would think about getting even with a dead man._ She chuckled slightly as she imagined the ghost of the forth shaking his fist angrily at the young man; it was quite an amusing picture to her tired and annoyed mind. She then caught Naruto's expression, it was one of deep serenity, as if all was right with the world. "What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

He merely shrugged before saying, "I'm heading to the wedding. Screw the villagers, I should be there." He then turned away, waving over his shoulder as he walked away. Before completely leaving he paused and looked over his shoulder, a lop-sided grin on his face. "It was interesting. We should share another drink again sometime. You're pretty interesting to talk to, when you're not acting all creepy as hell that is."

Anko only smirked before saying, "Sure thing brat."

Naruto only grins slightly before saying, "Well what are you waiting for then?" Seeing her puzzled look he only grinned sheepishly, "No bar in this village will let me in, so the wedding is probably the only time its gonna happen." He smirked again before rubbing his head before saying, "Besides, I spent the last of my money on those two bottles. The wedding is an open bar." Anko couldn't help herself and she laughed as if she hadn't in years, as the two walked back towards the wedding.

It didn't take them too long to make it back. Naruto walked in with Anko, seemingly searching around for his friends. Anko ignored his halt and continued straight to the bar. _Sharing a drink or not, the kid made a good point. It's an open bar and after that annoying soul-searching tonight I need to be plastered._ Finally Naruto found Sakura dancing with her former sensei and he walked over to give his congratulations once again.

Upon seeing the young man, Sakura's face brightened tenfold. "Naruto!" She exclaimed happily as she released Kakashi and literally bounced towards Naruto, almost tackling him to the floor if he had not held his ground. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his head into his flak jacket. Naruto could fear the tears coming as she said, "I'm so happy you made it after all."

Naruto only smiled at his long time comrade and returned the hug gently. "Sorry for the delay."

She backed off slightly before wiping a tear away. "It's fine. As long as you're here." She then chuckled and added, "Although this is the first time Kakashi-sensei ever showed up before you for anything."

Naruto chuckled at that before she pulled him to the dance floor. Naruto was happy for his two friends, it really gave him hope that someone like Gaara could find someone to love. Although it was rather odd that he had given his love to the girl that Naruto almost considered family. He shook away the odd thoughts and decided to just enjoy the moment as he danced with the bride.

After a few dances, Gaara cut in and Naruto gave his friend a slap on the back before wishing them well before heading over to sit down at an unoccupied table, if only to take in the whole reception itself. He found himself smiling despite his earlier worries of causing problems. He still had a pleasant buzz from his earlier drinking and was thinking about joining Anko at the bar to help her cause some headaches to the bartender when a familiar face joined him. Naruto smirked at the man before asking, "Where's the toothpick?"

Genma gave him a frown before remarking in a casual tone. "It's a senbon needle, for the last time." He shot the blond a dirty look while Naruto chuckled before asking, "So what's the story with Mitarashi? She left the reception for an hour or two and then returns with you? I doubt it was for some mushy reason like she thought you should be here."

Naruto only smirked before shooting a glance towards the kunochi in question. She was sitting at the bar, an odd smile on her face as she swished her small glass round in her hand. She seemed lost in her own little world but at least she seemed happy to be there. He turned back to Genma and merely shrugged. "Go have a drink with her. Maybe she'll tell you herself."

Genma looked at the kunochi before shaking his head. "I'm not that interested."

Naruto chuckled before leaning forward slightly. "Do me a favor. Go ask her for a dance and show her a good time, toothpick boy."

Genma gave Naruto a look that bordered somewhere between the realms of confusion and fear. "What?"

Naruto lost the amused expression before saying, "Don't make me call in favors from Shikamaru. Between the two of us, I can assure you that we could come up with some that would leave you running through Konoha naked and bald and screaming like a little girl." By the end of his threat, that demented smile that he had been known for in his youth had returned, like some foreboding specter of doom.

Genma went pale for a split second before sighing in defeat. "Whatever kid. Don't cause any trouble." He said as he stood up and walked towards the bar. Naruto smiled at his good dead of the day as he watched Genma in his formal suit talk to Anko before bowing slightly and offering his hand as if to guide her to the dance floor. Naruto rolled his eyes at the gesture, _Real smooth toothpick boy, _He thought sarcastically. Naruto only gave a small smile as he watched Anko's confused expression from the sudden offer, _The mask is ready to be removed Mitarashi-san. It's up to you now._

Naruto watched in idle amusement from the sidelines as Anko blinked at Genma a few times in silence before shaking her head slightly as if amused. She placed down her glass but instead of grabbing Genma's hand to go dance, she put him in a headlock, pulled him playfully closer to the bar and then turned to the bartender and ordering two drinks loudly, a highly amused smile on her face. Naruto could only watch in a stunned silence before chuckling to himself before standing up to accept Hinata's request for a dance.

_That's more like Mitarashi-san anyway._ He thought with a hint of wry wisdom as Hinata guided him to the dance floor. Anko shot him a look which he only returned with a small wink before turning to focus on the Hyuga heir.

He never saw the small amused smile on the snake goddesses face, nor the look of thanks in her eyes.


End file.
